1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in optical gas analyzers and more particularly, to refinements in non-dispersive infrared analyzers in order to obtain adequate performance for medical and other precision applications.
2. Description of Prior Art
The inventor of the present invention has contributed to the prior art devices in the area of infrared gas analyzers and this prior art as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,754 substantially sets forth one aspect of devices commercially utilized to date for non-medical applications. The inventor in setting forth to perfect instrumentation for medical applications found that the prior art teachings contained in the above referenced patent and others known in the art, lacked the degree of reliability and sophistication necessary for medical applications.
For example, in medical applications such as instrumentation in life support systems in which the output of information is of a critical nature, the necessary degree of calibration and other performance standards, as hereinafter explained in detail, was not available with the prior art equipment. Although the present invention will be particularly discussed with respect to the benefits it provides for medical applications, these same advantages also lend themselves to industrial and other applications as well.